UTSA parts ways with Claunch, names Bowman as interim coach

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA and men’s basketball head coach Austin Claunch have mutually agreed to part ways effective immediately, university president for intercollegiate athletics Lisa Campos said Friday in a release.

Nick Bowman, who has served as acting head coach since the start of the season, will work as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

“After thoughtful discussions about the future of the program, we mutually agreed that this was the right time for a transition,” Campos said. “We thank coach Claunch for his efforts over the last two years and wish him nothing but the best in the future. We look forward to this season with Nick Bowman at the helm.”

Claunch said in a statement that it was best for both to “move in a different direction.”

“I want to thank our players, staff, administration, and fans for the support they’ve shown me during my time at UTSA,” Claunch said. “Dr. Campos and I agreed that it was best for both sides to move in a different direction. I want to thank Dr. Campos for the opportunity to coach at UTSA. I’ll always be rooting for UTSA and the young men in this program.”

Claunch was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Corpus Christi on Oct. 27, six days before the season opener. He was suspended by the university on Oct. 28.

Officers making the arrest found Claunch asleep in a vehicle, with the engine running, at a convenience store parking lot at about 2 a.m., according to the incident report. A little after 6 a.m., he was booked into the Nueces County jail.

Released later that afternoon, the coach returned to San Antonio and ran practice. A few hours later, the university announced his suspension and said that Bowman would be promoted from assistant coach to acting coach.

The Roadrunners have since played three games, losing by 21 at San Jose State, and then winning twice, once at home by two over the VMI Keydets and again on Wednesday night at Seattle. The win over the Redhawks was a stunner. As a 16.5-point underdog, UTSA stormed to an 86-59 victory.

Claunch came to San Antonio in the spring of 2024, coming off a season in which he worked on the staff for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, an NCAA Final Four entry.

Inheriting a team that had lost 20 games or more three straight seasons, Claunch overhauled the roster and went 12-19 in his first season, losing several close games.

The Roadrunners continued their slide, posting a 4-25 record last season, at one point losing 17 games in a row. They 13th and finished last at 1-17 in the American Conference, failing to qualify for the 10-team league tournament.

Claunch was under contract with UTSA for three more years before the two sides announced the separation.

“I deeply regret my actions and the disappointment I have caused,” Claunch said in a statement following his suspension. “I sincerely apologize to the young men I have the privilege of coaching, my fellow coaches and colleagues, President (Taylor) Eighmy, Dr. Lisa Campos and the entire Roadrunner community.

“I recognize the responsibility that comes with being a head coach and the example I am expected to set, both on and off the court. I fell short of those expectations, and for that, I am truly sorry.

“I take full responsibility for my decisions and am committed to learning from this experience and earning back the trust and confidence of those who have placed their faith in me.”

Bowman is in his third season at UTSA after serving as an assistant coach the last two seasons. He came to the Roadrunners from LSU New Orleans, where he was the lead assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

Bowman was previously at Nicholls for five seasons under Claunch, including the last three as associate head coach. During that time, he recruited and coached 11 all-conference student-athletes that helped propel the Colonels to a program record for most regular single season wins and most regular season victories over a five-year period. Nicholls also advanced to the 2022 NIT.

Bowman has three seasons of experience at Clemson as the director of recruiting, during which time he helped the team to the 2018 Sweet 16 and 2017 NIT. That was his second Sweet 16, after helping Tennessee to the same feat in 2014.

A graduate of Eastern Kentucky, Bowman was a graduate assistant at EKU and started his coaching career at Pikeville.

Coming up

Texas State at UTSA, Sunday, 7 p.m.

Records

Texas State 3-0
UTSA 2-1

Notable

Texas State is entering its first season as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. The Bobcats on Friday will chases their best start since 1980-81, hosting former Sun Belt Conference foe Southern Miss (2-1). Tipoff from Strahan Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Say, what? The UTSA men romp, winning by 27 points at Seattle

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Two weeks ago, the UTSA men’s basketball program was in disarray. The head coach had been suspended. An assistant had been promoted to acting head coach only five days before the season opener.

What a difference 14 days make. A team that posted a 4-25 record last year has improved to 2-1 under Nick Bowman after a remarkable 86-59 victory on the road Wednesday night against the Seattle Redhawks.

The Roadrunners surged to a 19-point lead at halftime, kept playing hard, expanded their advantage to 28 with 1:57 remaining and then celebrated after the final buzzer, hailing a signature win over a team that had won 21 games last season.

Led by center Will Heimbrodt, the Redhawks were picked fourth in the West Coast Conference preseason poll, behind Santa Clara, Saint Mary’s and San Francisco.

After beating the Oregon Ducks in the preseason, Seattle started the schedule with a one-point road loss at Hawaii and a 19-point home victory over the Portland State Vikings.

The Roadrunners, picked to finish last in the American Conference, opened with a 21-point road loss at San Jose State last week before they beat the VMI Keydets 70-68 at home Saturday night.

UTSA’s victory at Seattle was the program’s most lopsided on the road since February of 2021 when it defeated the FIU Panthers 90-47 in Miami. It also may have been one of the most surprising in the basketball program’s history as Seattle entered as a 16.5-point favorite.

Bowman said on the team’s radio broadcast that it’s an “awesome” feeling to win so convincingly over a program that has posted 20-win seasons in four of the last five years under Coach Chris Victor.

“It’s just, I mean, just awesome,” the coach said. “You don’t have games like that very often. You know what I mean? Like, 86-59 on the road? Against a program with the basketball character of Seattle University? Like, four 20 win seasons in five years under coach Victor. I’m so happy.

“Like, it’s awesome. Awesome.”

Led by 6-footers KJ Tenner and Josiah LeGree, UTSA’s fleet of perimeter players pretty much destroyed Seattle. Tenner had 18 points, five rebounds and three assists. Both LeGree and shooting guard Isaiah Watts scored 15 apiece.

In addition, Isaiah Coleman scored 14 as the Roadrunners shot a season-high 51 percent from the field. They also shot 40.9 percent from three by knocking down nine of 22.

LeGree hit three shots from long distance in the game. In one first-half sequence as UTSA was taking control of the game, the Baltimore native threw down a dunk in traffic and made two threes, one of them from what looked like 28 feet.

UTSA’s defense was also superb. Not only did the Roadrunners force 14 turnovers, but they also held the Redhawks to 35 percent shooting from the field.

Heimbrodt, a 6-7 senior, led the Redhawks with 18 points and eight rebounds. Junior guard Tyler Boston scored 16. Combined, Heimbrodt and Boston hit 11 of 20 shots from the field. The rest of the team made only eight of 34.

“We talked about that it was going to be a fight,” Bowman said, “and they were going to punch and punch and punch and we were going to have to keep walking forward and give ourselves a chance in the second half. I think they mis-heard the message. Because we just punched and punched and punched and punched, and then we just kept walking forward.”

Seattle was favored by 16.5 points, and, remarkably, a team that had been written off since the start of fall practice conjured up enough magic to win by 27.

“We talked about that a little bit today. We made sure that they knew how disrespectful we thought that was. That an American team with good players, (that) just came off of a win … ” said Bowman, failing to complete the thought.

First half

The UTSA men traveled all the way to the Great Northwest, to Seattle, to play one of the best teams in the West Coast Conference.

As it turned out, the trip was well worth the trouble.

Boosted by a harassing defense, the UTSA Roadrunners raced to a surprising 41-22 lead on the Redhawks.

UTSA’s defense forced 12 turnovers and held Seattle to 30 percent shooting. On the other end, the Roadrunners hit 47 percent from the field and placed eight men in the scoring column.

Guard Josiah LeGree led the way with 10 points on four of six shooting. LeGree, a 6-foot native of Baltimore, was a human highlight reel in the last 10 minutes with a driving dunk and a couple of threes. He swished one of the triples from at least 30 feet with a defender in his face.

KJ Tenner scored eight points and Isaiah Watts, playing in his hometown, had seven.

Records

UTSA 2-1
Seattle 1-2

Coming up

Texas State at UTSA, Sunday, 7 p.m.

Inspiring the kids: UTSA women win their first game of the season

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UTSA women's basketball beat Incarnate Word 73-51 on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

The UTSA women cheer from the bench Wednesday as their teammates run up a lead in the second half to as many as 26 points. The Roadrunners went on to defeat the Incarnate Word Cardinals, 73-51. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA guard Kierra Merchant attended so many college basketball games as a kid, she says she can’t really remember the first one. She guesses that it might have been when she was in seventh grade.

That game was in Lubbock, she recalled, at Texas Tech.

“I didn’t really play basketball, but after I went to that game, it made me want to take (it) a little more seriously,” she said. “I loved the atmosphere. I loved everything about it.”

The atmosphere at the UTSA Convocation Center on Wednesday seemed equally well-received by hundreds of school children attending on “Education Day.”

Adriana Robles. UTSA women's basketball beat Incarnate Word 73-51 on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Sophomore Adriana Robles matched Kierra Merchant with 15 points and also produced team highs in assists (four) and steals (three). – Photo by Joe Alexander

Just before tipoff, a staffer with a cordless mic stood on the court, facing children in three sections of the west grandstands. Pointing to each section one by one, he asked the kids for their loudest cheer. On cue, each section responded with shrieks that echoed off the rafters in the 50-year-old building.

Afterward, the cheers were still raining down on the Roadrunners after they rolled to their first win of the season, 73-51, over the Incarnate Word Cardinals. Merchant and Adriana Robles led the way with 15 points each.

Asked later what she hoped the kids took away from the experience, Merchant, a transfer from the University of Houston in her first year at UTSA, said she hoped it lifted them in the same way that the game boosted her spirits as a young athlete.

“I just hope we’re inspiring them, especially if they play basketball,” she said. “I hope that they want to be where we’re at one day.”

The Roadrunners, who shot poorly in a season-opening, two-game road trip, reversed fortunes and had a good day in their home opener. They hit 31 of 57 shots from the field for 54.4 percent.

Leading 35-29 against the Cardinals at halftime, the Roadrunners broke away in the second half, building leads as large as 26 points with 4:32 remaining.

The lopsided win was well-received in the UTSA camp after dropping two games against top 100-ranked programs, falling 69-51 at UNLV last Friday and 65-56 at San Diego State on Sunday.

In the two games combined, the Roadrunners made only 38 of 120 field goal attempts for 31 percent. Against the Cardinals, they hit 31 of 57 overall, including 15 of 25 in the second half. Meaning that, after intermission, UTSA connected on 60 percent.

“I thought we played with a lot more intention today offensively,” coach Karen Aston said. “We’re obviously three games into this. It’s a young season so far. The West Coast was a tough trip for us. For us to come back and have a day of prep for this game against what I will say is a very much improved UIW team, I just thought that we did a lot of things better on both ends of the floor.”

Kierra Merchant. UTSA women's basketball beat Incarnate Word 73-51 on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Kierra Merchant played her first game in a UTSA uniform at the Convocation Center Wednesday and scored 15 points off the bench in 25 minutes. – Photo by Joe Alexander

With the victory, UTSA improved to 5-2 in the all-time series against UIW. The Roadrunners are 4-0 against the Cardinals at home. UTSA and UIW are the only two NCAA Division I women’s basketball programs in the city of San Antonio.

For the Roadrunners, Merchant and Robles elevated their games.

Merchant came off the bench and played 25 minutes. In that time, she knocked down seven of 11 from the field, including two for two in the third quarter when the Roadrunners started to break the game open.

Robles, a starter, came out firing. In the first quarter, she hit both of her field goal tries, including one three, and also passed for an assist and added two steals. She finished with game highs of four assists and three steals in a team-leading 29 minutes.

Playing with a brace on her right knee, senior forward Idara Udo also enjoyed a productive afternoon with 12 points in 23 minutes. She knocked down six of eight from the field.

Redshirt sophomore forward Taylor Ross, in her second strong game in a row, contributed nine points and five rebounds off the bench in 18 minutes.

As UTSA stepped up the pressure early, UIW didn’t back down.

The Cardinals stayed in the game with junior guards Kayanna Cox and Gwendolyn McGrew stroking shots from the perimeter. Cox scored 12 in the half and McGrew 11, with both combining for five of eight shooting from beyond the arc.

McGrew was especially effective, connecting on all three of her three-point attempts. UTSA did a better job on the two of them after intermission. Running several defenders at each one, Cox scored only four points and McGrew two over the final two quarters.

Regardless, the narrative of the day centered on the improvement of the offense.

Idara Udo. UTSA women's basketball beat Incarnate Word 73-51 on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Idara Udo wears the gold ‘Cash In’ chain after scoring 12 points in 23 minutes against Incarnate Word. Udo, a senior forward, hit six of eight from the field. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“We were a lot more intentional, the way we played,” Aston said. “The shots went in because we took better shots. We were more patient, moved the ball better, played a little more inside out than we have been. I think even when we took maybe ill-advised shots … there was better adjustment. Maybe that wasn’t great. Let’s get back to moving it.

“In the first few games, we weren’t able to maybe catch our breath enough to go, OK, we need to do something different. We weren’t able to process that as well as we did today.”

Records

UIW 1-2
UTSA 1-2

Coming up

Louisiana at UTSA, Monday, 6:30 p.m.

First half

Idara Udo and Kierra Merchant scored eight points apiece as the UTSA offense came alive in the first half, surging to a 35-29 lead on the Incarnate Word Cardinals.

In the game played at UTSA’s Convocation Center, the Roadrunners shot 16 of 32 from the field for 50 percent after hitting only 38 of 120 afield in their first two games.

UTSA came out with a different look to start the game, with Adriana Robles at the point, Mia Hammonds and Maya Linton on the wings and Praise Egharevba and Udo in the post. Linton made her first start of the season, while Damara Allen came off the bench.

Notable

UIW's Kayanna Cox. UTSA women's basketball beat Incarnate Word 73-51 on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Central Florida transfer Kayanna Cox came off the bench to produce 16 points and six rebounds for the UIW Cardinals. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Even though shooting woes continued to haunt UTSA junior forward Mia Hammonds, she enjoyed her best game of the season, leading the team in the plus/minus column with a plus 23.

Hammonds finished with five points and a team-leading seven rebounds in 23 minutes. She also had three assists and a steal.

For the season, the former standout at San Antonio-area Steele High School has hit three for 24 from the field. She hit two for eight against the Cardinals.

Aston said Hammonds supplies energy “that can be super positive, if she puts her mind in the right space.” She did that against UIW, using her agility and 6-3 frame to get on the boards and play the passing lanes.

“Today, she was there,” Aston said. “I’m really proud of her because she did struggle in the first two games. For her to re-set, it took some maturity. It took some care about our team for her to re-set herself and say, ‘Ok, I’ve got to be better. I need to do the little things.

“I need to do something that’s going to help our team win.”

Mia Hammonds. UTSA women's basketball beat Incarnate Word 73-51 on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Former Steele High School standout Mia Hammonds led the Roadrunners in the plus-minus column with a plus 23 against the UIW Cardinals. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Women’s college basketball: UTSA prepares for the improved UIW Cardinals

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA women’s basketball players aren’t satisfied with playing just one good half during an otherwise uncomfortable 0-2 start to their season.

Jhasmin Player. UTSA women's basketball beat Incarnate Word 74-57 on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, at UIW. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Jhasmin Player’s UIW Cardinals registered an upset victory in their season opener, winning at Tulsa, 63-57. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Because of their record, the Roadrunners are determined to kick-start a winning streak as they host the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. in the first of three straight home games.

UTSA played its intra-city, NCAA Division I rivals on the UIW campus last year and romped to a 74-57 victory.

“We’ve played them in a scrimmage (earlier in the fall) and they’re very, very good,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “They’re a much, much improved team from last year, as I expected (with coach) Jhasmin (Player) taking over.”

The Roadrunners have won four of six meetings all-time against their intra-city rivals from the Southland Conference, including all three games in the series at home.

At the same time, UTSA is still looking for its first victory since it won the American Conference postseason title last season.

On a two-game road trip to play a pair of top 100-ranked teams, the Roadrunners started the season at UNLV, losing by a score of 69-51. They lost again on Sunday afternoon at San Diego State, 65-56.

In the opener, the Roadrunners were in contention for one quarter before an ineffective offense dragged them down. UTSA shot 26 percent from the field.

Against the Aztecs, they played better, but a 26-point deficit early in the second half was too much to overcome.

Now they’re faced with playing the resurgent Cardinals, who registered a 63-57 victory at Tulsa last Tuesday before losing 74-68 at UTEP on Saturday.

The win at Tulsa was an eye-opener, as the Golden Hurricane entered the season picked to finish fourth in the American.

Against UTEP, UIW trailed by two going into the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get it done down the stretch.

“Just a team that gives you a lot of problems because of their versatility, and their ability to get to the paint and draw fouls,” Aston said. “It’s not going to be an easy game at all.”

“It’s going to be a fun one. I think our ticketing group has worked hard to get a lot of youngsters in here for Education Day.”

Coming up

UIW at UTSA, Wednesday, 11 a.m.

Records

UIW 1-1
UTSA 2-0

Notable

Fans will get in free on “Education Day,” as the Roadrunners host UIW on Wednesday morning.

On Monday, in the second of three straight home games, a championship banner hailing last year’s run to the NCAA tournament will be unfurled before a 6:30 p.m. tipoff against the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.

UTSA coach Karen Aston naturally hopes the fans will come out to support both events. But with her team still winless going into the week, she wants her players avoid losing sight of the main mission.

“We really need to get focused on playing better basketball and trying to win a couple of games,” she said.

Taylor Ross. The UTSA women's basketball team beat St. Mary's 90-38 in an exhibition game on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Taylor Ross rebounded from an 0-for-5 performance on opening night at UNLV to score a career-high 12 points at San Diego State. – File photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA completes the three-game homestand by hosting North Dakota State on Nov. 21.

From there, the Roadrunners will play their next eight away from San Antonio. First, they’ll travel to Puerto Rico over the holiday to take on Binghamton and Howard. After that, they’ll complete the non-conference schedule on the road at Baylor, TCU, Texas State and SMU. As play in the American begins, they’ll be on the road at FAU and South Florida before finally returning to the Convocation Center on Jan. 6 against North Texas.

After two games, the Roadrunners are struggling on offense, shooting 31.7 percent from the field and 24.4 percent from the three-point arc. Damara Allen leads UTSA with 15 points six rebounds per game. Allen scored 17 against UNLV and 13 against San Diego State. UTSA’s offense came alive in a 26-10 third quarter at San Diego State.

Taylor Ross, a redshirt sophomore from Brennan, scored seven of her career-high 12 points in the period.

“I’m excited about Taylor,” Aston said. “I mean, where she was her freshman season, at the end of it, was so exciting. And the summer she had before she hurt her knee last fall (in 2025), I could see the growth in her and the excitement building and what her potential was, and then she had the setback.”

Ross, who suffered the injury in the weeks leading into the 2025-26 season opener, spent last year in rehabilitation. Even though she has looked strong in offseason practices, she struggled in the opener at UNLV, going 0-for-5 from the field in a two-point outing.

“Her performance in the UNLV game didn’t catch me off guard at all,” Aston said. “I mean, (for Ross) it was the first time under the lights in over a year. You kind of want to say, she’s just a baby. She’s still kind of a freshman. So what she did from Game 1 to Game 2 is pretty remarkable, and I think it’s just going to continue.

Bowman thanks supporters in the wake of his team’s first win

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UTSA coach Nick Bowman. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Nick Bowman notched the first win of his college coaching career Saturday against the VMI Keydets. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

As the UTSA men prepare for a challenging West Coast trip and a road game Wednesday night with the Seattle Redhawks, acting coach Nick Bowman thanked the city for its support of the team through the early going of the new season.

The Roadrunners rallied in the last few minutes to claim a 70-68 home win over the VMI Keydets Saturday afternoon.

“We’re obviously really excited to get our first win of the season, especially for that to be a home win,” Bowman said Monday on his weekly press conference. “I thought that was really good for these guys. The crowd was incredible. The band was there.

“After the season we had last year, I don’t know if that was necessarily the expectation, but for San Antonio and our students to come and support this team, it really, really means a lot . . . and they deserved it.

“They fought so hard and played so well. More shots will go in as we get more comfortable … So we’re not super concerned with that. So, we’re really happy to be 1-1.”

Coming up

UTSA at Seattle, Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Texas State at UTSA, Sunday, 7 p.m.

Record

UTSA 1-1
Seattle 1-1

Notable

After Wednesday, the Roadrunners return home to play Sunday night against the I-35 rival Texas State Bobcats.

“This week we have two high-quality opponents, two top 100 (ranked) teams,” the coach said. “Seattle on Wednesday, that’s what we’re really focused on. We’re not really even thinking about Texas State on Sunday right now. We just want to go up in Seattle and play together, play hard and give ourselves a chance to win on the road against a team that’s going to do well in the (West Coast Conference).”

The Roadrunners fell flat in their opener on Nov. 2, allowing nearly 59 percent shooting and losing 95-74 at San Jose State. Then they returned home to beat the Keydets, hitting a couple of clutch 3-pointers in the final 58 seconds to seal it.

5 Demari Williams. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Houston Christian transfer Demari Williams, a 6-6 guard, passed for two assists and hit a go-ahead, three-point shot in the last two minutes against VMI. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Even though VMI was one of the lowest-ranked programs in the nation last year, 359th out of 365 in the NET, it was an emotional victory for the Roadrunners, as they notched their first win at home against a Division I opponent since March of 2025.

Before Saturday, UTSA’s last home win against a D-I foe came two seasons ago on March 2, 2025 when it knocked off Rice, 84-56. The Roadrunners recorded their last home win against a team at any level on Nov. 18, 2025 against Southwestern Christian, which is affiliated with the NAIA and the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association.

Which means that the Roadrunners had lost 13 straight at home against D-I competition – one against Memphis in March of 2025, plus all 12 last season. The streak came to a merciful end when the Roadrunners, with almost an entirely new roster, outscored the Keydets 38-29 in the last 16 minutes Saturday afternoon.

Asked what he liked about his team so far, Bowman said, “Well, not much in the first game. We were really out of sorts. I thought we played uncharacteristically (at) San Jose State. Didn’t really show what we thought we had been showing in the preseason.

“We took a few days to coach ’em hard before VMI, before our home opener, and I thought that game … there’s so much to watch in the basketball part of it, but our bench and our coaches, just the spirit and the joy that they were playing with.”

Bowman was appointed acting head coach in the absence of the suspended Austin Claunch on Oct. 28. With Claunch as head coach and Bowman as a lead assistant, the Roadrunners finished 12-19 in 2024-25 before plummeting to a 4-25 record last season. Like the Keydets, they finished near the bottom of the national rankings at No. 342.

Undefeated San Diego State women hold off UTSA, 65-56

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Freshman forward Dionne Madjo scored 15 points, including five in the fourth quarter, as the San Diego State Aztecs held on to defeat the UTSA Roadrunners 65-56 Sunday afternoon in women’s college basketball.

In the game played at San Diego’s Viejas Arena, the Roadrunners bounced back from a dismal second quarter, rallied furiously from a 26-point deficit and cut the lead to five at one point early in the fourth.

It remained a two possession game for a few minutes, with UTSA (0-2) trailing by six points with seven minutes remaining. But San Diego State (3-0) steadied itself, started to attack with Madjo and Natalia Martinez and held on to remain undefeated.

The Aztecs knocked down 11 of 14 free throws in the period, including five of six by Madjo, a 6-foot-1 freshman from Luxembourg, to close out the game.

After dropping a 69-51 decision at UNLV on Friday night, UTSA made some major improvements in the second half against San Diego State, which should boost its confidence leading into a Wednesday matinee at home against the Incarnate Word Cardinals.

Tipoff is at 11 a.m. in the Convocation Center.

“I knew this was going to be a really challenging road trip for this group,” UTSA coach Karen Aston told the team’s radio broadcast. “We’re finding ourselves, kind of. I’m sure the first half was a little bit of a hangover from the UNLV game, and hopefully we learned some things about ourselves, some lessons.

“We definitely executed better in the second half. Guarded a little better. Just did everything a little bit better. So, hopefully we have welcomed ourselves to the season, maybe, in the second half.”

Both UNLV and San Diego State won 20-plus games and finished in the top 100 in the NET rankings last year, so opening the season 0-2 isn’t a disaster.

But it nevertheless hurts for a team that has high hopes following last year’s American Conference postseason title and trip to the NCAA tournament.

The Roadrunners pride themselves on being competitive in any situation, no matter the opponent, so a 26-10 third quarter can serve as a base upon which to build some momentum.

“I was proud of how we fought back,” Aston said. “We talked at halftime about, ‘Can we get to the third quarter under 15 (in the deficit) and we did that. We were under 10 at the end of the third quarter and gave ourselves a chance, really. We just had some mistakes, really, as far as reading the defense and … people trying to make a few more plays than really what was there.”

Aston agreed with a line of questioning from radio voice Neal Raphael that the third period might have been a glimpse of the team’s long-term potential.

“Yeah, we’ll get there. I’m sure that we’re all disappointed. I mean, no one wants to start off 0-2. But I knew we would have some growing pains.”

For the second game in a row, junior guard Damara Allen led the Roadrunners in scoring, notching 13 points and six rebounds. Redshirt sophomore forward Taylor Ross bounced back from a two-point performance at UNLV to produced 12 points and seven rebounds. She scored seven in the third period, hitting two for two from the field and three for three at the line. Adriana Robles and Idara Udo scored 10 apiece.

UTSA shot 36.7 percent from the field, an improvement over 26.7 percent at UNLV. Leading in field goal accuracy, Udo hit five for seven from the field, followed by Ross at four for seven and Robles at four for eight. In addition, several players hit the glass as the Roadrunners out-rebounded the Aztecs 34-24.

Udo and guard Kierra Merchant had five apiece and Praise Egharevba four. The Roadrunners pulled down 14 offensive boards, including three each by Allen, Ross and Egharevba.

Third quarter

Taylor Ross and Adriana Robles sparked UTSA in a 26-10 quarter as the Roadrunners surged into contention to pull off a remarkable comeback.
Down by 26 at one point early in the third, UTSA cut the lead to 47-39 going into the final period.

Ross scored seven points and Robles added six on a couple of three pointers. UTSA hit 10 of 18 from the field in the period while holding San Diego State to five for 12.

First half

Freshman Dionne Madjo, a 6-1 forward from Mersch, Luxembourg, came off the bench to score eight points in the second quarter, leading the San Diego State Aztecs to a 37-13 lead at halftime.

While Madjo was working her magic at Viejas Arena, the Roadrunners couldn’t generate any offense, hitting only two of 14 from the field in the second quarter. San Diego State dominated the period, winning it 20-4.

San Diego State opened the game by scoring six straight points. UTSA failed to score in the first six minutes, a drought that came to an end when Damara Allen hit a jumper with 6:14 showing.

In the next few minutes, the Roadrunners found their first rhythm of the half, outscoring the Aztecs in a 7-2 run highlighted by Kierra Merchant’s three pointer.

San Diego State, leading by only one at that point, rallied at the end of the period as guard Natalia Martinez hit a couple of threes. San Diego State went into the break with an 18-10 lead.

The Aztecs continued the onslaught in the second period. After Idara Udo scored on a put back with eight minutes left, San Diego State scored 12 unanswered points to make it 30-11. The Aztecs finished the half on a 7-0 run to make it 37-13 at intermission.

Records

UTSA 0-2
San Diego State 3-0

Coming up

UIW at UTSA, Wednesday, 11 a.m.

UTSA men play with ‘spirit,’ rally in the final minutes to down VMI

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10 Preston Turner celebrates after hitting a shot in the final minute of the game. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA guard Preston Turner celebrates after hitting a game-clinching three-pointer with eight seconds remaining. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

In the past few years, the UTSA men have faced a number of situations similar to Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

Down by seven points with 16 minutes remaining? Down by four with less than two minutes left? The Roadrunners have been known to fold more than a few times under such stress.

Not this time.

Playing for an acting head coach in only his second week on the job, with everyone in the building in the home opener hungering for the first victory of the season, UTSA gutted it out and won the basketball game.

UTSA coach Nick Bowman. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA acting coach Nick Bowman won his first game as a college coach when the Roadrunners rallied in the second half to down the VMI Keydets. – Photo by Joe Alexander

The Roadrunners downed the VMI Keydets 70-68 by out-hustling and ultimately outscoring the visitors 38-29 in the last 16:09. In addition, they also won the final 1:49 by a score of 8-2, bouncing back from a season-opening loss at San Jose State and handing acting coach Nick Bowman his first victory.

“I just thought our team played with an incredible spirit the entire game,” Bowman said. “It’s something that we talked about since Monday, was just playing with a joy, playing for each other. We know this is a special group of kids that enjoys being around each other and playing for each other, and we really tried to get that back.

“And that’s not easy to do when you shoot 41 percent from the field at home and go seven for 30 from three. I think we were down four and went on a 5-0 run there late and I don’t think we gave the (lead) back. It says we had a 9-0 run. I don’t remember a run that big, so it’s good that we finally got that. It’s what we were saying in huddles, that it was coming.

“I’m just really proud of this team with everything that’s happened. They have stayed the course. We wanted to play well for our fans and I thought they did that today.”

Guards Demari Williams and Preston Turner knocked down three-pointers in the last minute as the Roadrunners (1-1) won for the first time since third-year head coach Austin Claunch was suspended on Oct. 28. Claunch is on indefinite suspension in the wake of his arrest for driving while intoxicated.

As the university reviews Claunch’s situation, Bowman, who came to UTSA as an assistant on the new staff in 2024, has been promoted to acting head coach. And on Saturday, his players rewarded him with his first win.

Williams and 6-foot spitfires KJ Tenner and Josiah LeGree led the Roadrunners in scoring with 14 points apiece. Hoping to split in a road trip to Texas after a Thursday night loss at SMU, the Keydets (1-2) led for most of the game but couldn’t hold off the Roadrunners.

Guard TJ Johnson paced VMI with 17 points, while backcourt mate Rickey Bradley scored 16 to go along with 10 rebounds.

5 Demari Williams celebrates after hitting a shot in the final minute of the game. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA guard Demari Williams, a transfer from Houston Christian, hit a three pointer and passed for two assists in the last two minutes against VMI. He finished with 14 points off the bench. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Early in the second half, the Roadrunners’ defensive pressure started to wear on the Keydets. Trailing by seven, they surged on a 9-0 run, initiated when Williams hit a short jumper in the paint. Later, LeGree drove and threw down a dunk. Williams followed that with a drive and another bucket.

With the crowd starting to get loud, Tenner had everyone roaring when he collided with burly VMI guard Joao Ponzo and landed flat on his back. As the whistle blew on Ponzo for an offensive foul, Tenner was on the floor screaming in triumph.

On the ensuing possession for the Roadrunners, Shey Eberwein drilled a long three that put the Roadrunners on top, 41-39.

UTSA’s play at the end of the game was equally focused and intense. Bradley, billed by one national magazine as a preseason MVP in the Southern Conference, drove for a bucket that capped a 7-0 run for VMI. When it fell, the Keydets led 66-62 with 1:49 remaining.

On the other end, the Roadrunners executed the offense with Williams feeding power forward Mike Broxton for a layup, trimming the lead to two. From there, Williams just kept making plays.

First, he knocked down a three with 58 seconds left to give UTSA a one-point lead. Next, he assisted again, swinging the ball to the wing where Preston Turner hit another three to push the Roadrunners in front, 70-66, with eight seconds remaining.

Williams, a transfer from Houston Christian, did a lot of damage in a short amount of time in the first game he’s played at home for the Roadrunners.

0 Josiah LeGree. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Six-foot guard Josiah LeGree, a transfer from Morehead State, scored nine of his 14 points in the second half. He had a dunk in a 9-0 run. – Photo by Joe Alexander

In scoring 14, including 12 in the second half, he did it in 17 minutes off the bench by hitting six of eight shots from the field. He also had two steals and two assists.

Asked how it feels to secure the first victory for Bowman, Williams said, “It’s huge. It’s a great feeling. You know, our team is just staying connected right now. We really lean towards each other. We just come together, and I feel like we did that tonight, and we’re going to continue to do that to be a great team. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

LeGree also came off the bench and scored nine of his 14 after intermission. He added four assists (against two turnovers) and four rebounds.

Asked what it’s been like to experience a chaotic two weeks culminating in an emotional victory, he said, “It’s the first of many. We got a lot of things to learn about, but our team is our strength. Throughout this week, we got closer and closer. We got to trust coach Bowman. We got to trust the coaching staff, because they’re in a new position, just like us. Only way we going to win is if we figure it out together.”

First half

Guard Rickey Bradley produced eight points and three rebounds before intermission as the Keydets played a physical style, drew fouls and forged a 35-31 lead. The Keydets hit 12 of 17 at the line against only two of four for the Roadrunners in the first half.

Brothers TJ Johnson and Trap Johnson, from Belton, each scored seven points apiece for the Keydets, who led most of the way by one or two possessions.

KJ Tenner paced UTSA with eight points in the half. The 6-foot guard from Memphis, a transfer from Murray State (Ky.), hit three of six from the field and one of two from 3-point distance.

Coming up

UTSA at Seattle, Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Texas State at UTSA, Sunday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.

Records

VMI 1-2
UTSA 1-1

3 KJ Tenner. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Guard KJ Tenner had 14 points, three assists and a steal in 35 minutes. He also forced a turnover in a decisive 9-0, second-half run. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA men aim for their first win of the season today against VMI

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA men’s basketball team opens its home schedule today at 4 p.m. against the VMI Keydets, and the Roadrunners will have plenty of room for improvement after dropping a 95-74 decision Monday in a season opener at San Jose State.

They’ll need to re-emphasize their defensive philosophy of picking up in full-court pressure, and they’ll need to get organized on rotations in the halfcourt so that they don’t get beat so much at the rim.

San Jose State had a easy time of it offensively, hitting 58.9 percent from the field, with easy buckets coming on the end of plays with crisp ball movement. The Spartans also made an efficient 10 of 26 from three.

On the offensive end, UTSA appears to have the personnel to put up numbers, especially at home. While three of their starters struggled shooting the ball against the Spartans, the Roadrunners’ bench was good, especially Shey Eberwein and Isaiah Coleman.

Eberwein scored 15 points and Coleman 12 in their UTSA debut. Between them, they knocked down 10 of 11 from the field, including a five-for-five effort by Eberwein.

“He’s a Houston kid,” acting head coach Nick Bowman said. “So obviously there was some familiarity with him and his family. He went to South Dakota and played up there and I think he just really wanted to get back closer to home. So, I think we were a good fit for him and he was a good fit for us in terms of the kind of player that he is.

“So, it went pretty fast. There was interest on both sides when he came on his visit. You know, I think he was really excited about his opportunity, and we were excited about what he could do here. Obviously (at San Jose State) he played great. Came off the bench. Nineteen minutes. Five for five from the field. Really good game. Four assists and one turnover.

“It was good to see him play well. Gave us a chance late in the first half and in the second half he was part of that group that really competed and made a small run. We gotta do more. But we were really happy with Shey.”

Coming up

VMI at UTSA, today, 4 p.m.
UTSA at Seattle, Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Texas State at UTSA, Sunday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.

Records

VMI (1-1)
UTSA (0-1)

Notable

San Antonio native Xavier Silas, the son of former Spurs guard James Silas, is an associate head coach under head coach Andrew Wilson at VMI.

A backcourt mate of George Gervin, James Silas was known as ‘Captain Late’ in San Antonio during the 1970s for his ability to make buckets at the end of close games.

He played with the Spurs from their inaugural season in 1973-74 to 1980-81. Eventually, the franchise retired his jersey No. 13.

Xavier Silas, 38, is in his fourth season on the VMI staff.

After a standout playing career in college at Colorado and Northern Illinois, Xavier Silas stints with the Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers before moving into coaching.

In the NBA, he worked with the 76ers in player development and later coached one year in Puerto Rico with the Guaynabo Mets. In college, Silas has been on staffs at the University of Missouri and VMI.

Lott-led UNLV women roll, 69-51, in UTSA’s season opener

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UNLV Lady Rebels raced behind guard Jasmyn Lott to a 69-51 victory Friday night, handing the UTSA Roadrunners a loss in their season opener at Las Vegas.

Lott, a 5-8 senior guard, exploded for 11 of her game-high 22 points in the third quarter as the Rebels expanded a six-point halftime lead to 16 going into the fourth.

UTSA never came closer than 15 the rest of the way.

Guard Damara Allen produced 17 points and six rebounds to lead the Roadrunners, who were held to 26.7 percent shooting from the field. In addition, they were hounded into 21 turnovers, though some of them early were unforced.

In UNLV, UTSA opened its season against one of the strongest mid-major programs in the Western United States.

The Lady Rebels had won 26, 31, 30, 26 and 21 games over the last five seasons under Coach Lindy La Rocque.

They lost their opener at home on Monday, falling 100-68 to the third-ranked Southern Cal Trojans. But they bounced back in their second outing, downing UTSA in a non-conference game for the second year in a row. UNLV won 66-39 last season in San Antonio.

Hopes were high for UTSA coming into the opener. The Roadrunners surged at the end of last season to win the American Conference’s postseason title. With the championship came the program’s first bid to the NCAA tournament in 17 years.

They played well early against the Mountain West Conference’s Lady Rebels, forging four-point leads three times in the opening period, only to fall victim to their ball-handling and shooting woes.

“I don’t want to over-react,” UTSA coach Karen Aston told the team’s radio broadcast. “It was the first game of the year. I felt like we would have some jitters and some uncertainty about ourselves. You know, it’s going to take us a good while to figure out who we are and how to play together.”

Aston said she thinks her team “has a long way to go” to reach its potential.

“I mean, we have a lot that we have to get fixed, and this schedule is not going to lend (itself) to having a lot of time to do it, so it’s going to be challenging for this group,” she told broadcaster Neal Raphael.

Despite giving up a lead and falling behind in the second quarter, the Roadrunners weren’t out of it as they went into the dressing room trailing by six at intermission.

Regardless, their offensive woes continued in the third period, and the game slipped away from them.

“We talked at half about how we were defending pretty well,” the coach said. “(But) we came out of half and got discouraged because we couldn’t score, and then our defense fell apart in the third quarter. All we did was foul in the third quarter. So, just a lot, a lot, a lot that we have to improve on.”

First half

Lott scored nine of her 11 first-half points in the second quarter, and the UNLV Lady Rebels outscored the UTSA Roadrunners 15-7 en route to a 27-21 lead at the intermission.

She hit back to back 3-pointers as UNLV took charge midway through the period.

UTSA’s offense went completely cold in the quarter. The Roadrunners hit only two of 13 shots from the field and committed six turnovers. At one point, they went more than four minutes without scoring.

The Roadrunners controlled the game for most of the first period. Hitting the boards hard, they finished the quarter with a 14-12 edge. Guard Kierra Merchant scored five points off the bench to spark the offense.

Records

UTSA 0-1
UNLV 1-1

Coming up

UTSA at San Diego State, 3 p.m.

Notable

The Roadrunners’ starting lineup scored 38 points. Outside of Damara Allen’s 17, the others struggled. Mia Hammonds, saddled with two fouls early, hit one for nine from the field. Idara Udo was one for five and Adriana Robles two for seven.

Praise Egharevba, a transfer from Oklahoma State playing her first game at UTSA, contributed nine points and three rebounds. She shot four for 10.

Hammonds, Allen and Udo each had four turnovers. As a team, the Roadrunners didn’t move the ball well, but even when they did, they seemed to have a hard time converting at the rim. Victims of several misses at the rim, the team finished with only six assists.

Guard Kierra Merchant, a transfer from Houston, scored five points in the first quarter but was held scoreless the rest of the way in her UTSA debut. She finished with five points, seven rebounds and three steals.

Maya Linton and Taylor Ross played in their first game since the end of the 2024-25 season after sitting out last year with injuries. Ross played 19 minutes and Linton 14.

Linton finished with two points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. The fifth-year senior was zero for two from the field. Ross also scored two points and pulled down seven rebounds. Combined, the two were zero for seven from the field.

UTSA women open season at UNLV with Robles at the point

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Adriana Robles. East Carolina beat UTSA 65-58 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA sophomore Adriana Robles says the team is confident leading into Friday’s season opener on the road against the UNLV Lady Rebels. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Adriana Robles was only eight years old when she moved with her family from their native Puerto Rico to Texas.

“When I first moved here, it was very hard, because (of) the language barrier,” said Robles, a sophomore point guard at UTSA. “I didn’t really know any English.”

It took a few years, but Robles, a young basketball prodigy, figured it out.

“I think with the support I had (from) my family, and (from) some teachers — they would cut me slack — that’s what really helped me the most,” she said. “Just accepting that it’s going to be a process to learn the language, I ended up learning it pretty quick.”

UTSA women's basketball coach Karen Aston at practice on Wednesday at the Convocation Center. UTSA is preparing to play UConn in the NCAA Tournament. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Karen Aston opens her 19th season as a head coach, including her sixth at UTSA. She has led three different programs to the NCAA tournament. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Some 11 years later, Robles is establishing herself as one of the most talented young players on the Roadrunners, who open their season Friday night in Las Vegas against the UNLV Lady Rebels.

Her story is one of inspiration.

It’s a tale of a young woman with a dream. Not only did she overcome the frustrations of childhood to reach college, but she also contributed in her first year out of Fort Worth’s Fossil Ridge High School to a team that reached the NCAA tournament.

“I thought she did great for a freshman,” said Karen Aston, entering her sixth season at UTSA. “I definitely think it’s a big responsibility. It’s the reason you don’t see a ton of freshmen point guards starting. Same thing as quarterbacks (in football).”

Last season, Robles played in all of UTSA’s 34 games and started 17. Though she averaged modest numbers of five points and 2.1 assists in 22 minutes, her coach was more than pleased.

Splitting the point guard duties with senior transfer Ereauna Hardaway, she played hard. And with a dogged work ethic, she earned her playing time.

“Most really talented guards, and in particular point guards, have to do a lot of stuff in high school,” Aston said. “They get to college and now it becomes, ‘How do I run the team? How do I get this team to function at a really high level.’ (In college) it becomes a lot less about yourself.

Praise Egharevba at UTSA women's basketball practice on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Forward-center Praise Egharevba, a transfer from Oklahoma State, is regarded as one of the team’s top newcomers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“So that is the work in progress for any person that plays the point guard position, and I thought that she did a great job (with that).”

With only one season of experience as a collegian, Robles has much to work on to become a more complete player. For one thing, the coach would like to see her hit a higher percentage of shots from the field after connecting on only 36.3 percent last year.

Becoming more consistent from 3-point territory also could make her more of a threat. If she could elevate last season’s 23.7 percent norm a few notches, defenses would need to adjust, clearing space for UTSA’s interior scorers.

Aston, mainly, just wants to see more leadership from Robles, who in her first season wasn’t the most vocal player on the team.

“I think the transition now for her,” the coach said, “is just taking the reins, like, being in charge of everyone. And, ‘How can I raise the expectation of everybody around me?’ In the midst of that, ‘How can I make the right decisions for this team?’

Once again, the coach said Robles isn’t a finished product in such intangibles. “I think there’s going to be some highs and lows, just like there was last year,” Aston said. “It’s just part of playing that position.”

Taking the leadership role will require some finesse. At times, she will need to be a cheerleader. But Aston also said she might need to get on her teammates even if it makes her feel a little uncomfortable doing it.

Robles is ready to take the next step.

“Oh, yeah, for sure,” she said. “Different role this year. I have to be more vocal, so that’s what I’ve been trying to do … (I’m) just leading the team as much as I can … stepping into that role and being confident with what I’m saying, and not just being laid back.”

Who’s to say she can’t do it?

Some eleven years ago, she could barely speak the English language when she left Puerto Rico, and now she’s studying in UTSA’s College for Health, Community and Policy. She’s also starting for a 19th-year head coach who has taken three different teams to the NCAA tournament.

Speaking to The JB Reply by telephone on Thursday, Robles suggested in her comments that she thinks a transition to life in Texas might have been more difficult had she arrived as a high school student.

“I think it was easier to move when I was younger,” she said, “so that I (could) adapt quicker. It was definitely a challenge at first, but now all I do is speak English 24-7, unless I’m home. So, it was hard at first, but I picked it up.”

UTSA women's basketball sophomore guard Damara Allen at practice on Wednesday at the Convocation Center. UTSA is preparing to play UConn in the NCAA Tournament. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Junior Damara Allen is expected to slide over and play some point guard to spell Robles. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Coming up

UTSA at UNLV, Friday, 8:30 p.m.
UTSA at San Diego State, Sunday, 3 p.m.
UIW at UTSA, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m.

Records

UTSA (0-0)
UNLV (0-1)

Notable

Energized by the return of All-American JuJu Watkins, third-ranked Southern Cal trounced UNLV 100-68 on Monday night in Las Vegas. The Lady Rebels return Meadow Roland and Jasmyn Lott from a team that defeated the Roadrunners 66-39 last December in San Antonio. The Lady Rebels held the Roadrunners to 27.9 percent shooting from the field. UNLV went 21-11 last year for the program’s fifth straight season of 20 or more victories under coach Lindy La Rocque.

To open the 2026-27 season, UTSA is playing in Las Vegas as a return game on a contract with UNLV, plus one in San Diego. UTSA added the road game at San Diego State to play two on the trip. Also, it’s a strength-of-schedule trip for the Roadrunners, who hope to win one or both to boost their national ranking. Such rankings could come into play in March if they hope to be considered for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Aztecs, who won 27 games last season, are 2-0 after home wins over Cal State Fullerton (77-51) and North Texas (73-57).

The Roadrunners have strung together three straight seasons with winning records, all with trips to national tournaments. In 2023-24, they forged an 18-15 record and won a game in the WNIT. In 2024-25, they went 26-5 and claimed the regular-season title in the American Conference at 17-1. UTSA, which fell short of an NCAA at-large bid, lost in the first round of the WBIT. Last season, UTSA finished 18-16, which included a conference postseason title and an NCAA automatic bid. The team played at top-seeded UConn in the NCAA opening round and lost 90-52.

Returning starters include forward Idara Udo, Damara Allen, Mia Hammonds and Robles. Udo returns as a preseason all-conference pick in the American. Both Allen and Hammonds surged at the end of last season, helping lead the Roadrunners to five straight wins, including four straight for the conference’s postseason title. In a twist, Allen may need to slide over to help run the point this season.

Robles played for Puerto Rico’s under 20 squad last summer in the Santo Domingo Central American and Caribbean Games 5×5 championships. Puerto Rico won the title with Robles averaging 7.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists. She had eight points and six assists in the championship game against Mexico.

Adriana Robles helped lead Puerto Rico’s under 20 team to the championship in the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games championship.- File photo by Joe Alexander